Universal lamp holder and safety switch



Sept. 12, 1950 E. D. DRAKE UNIVERSAL LAMP HOLDER AND SAFETY SWITCH Filed April 5 1946 INVENTOR. EARL U. DRAKE BY I w ATTURNEY Patented Sept. 12, 1950 OFFICE UNIVERSAL LAMP HOLDER AND SAFETY SWITCH Earl D. Drake, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Brooker Engineering 00., Detroit, Mich.

Application April 5, 1946, Serial No. 659,698

. 2 Claims.

This invention generally relates to fluorescent lamp lighting fixturesand particularly pertains to a high voltage lamp-holder that is equipped with a universally adaptable lamp electrode receiver and a primary low power lead switch that is operated by inserting or removing the lamp from the holder.

Theenvironment of the invention are the low powered primary leads from the power source to a transformer, the high powered secondary leads from the transformer to the lamp holders, and the lamp holders which house the universally adaptable lamp electrcde receiver and the low power lead switch which is disposed in the primary circuit between the power source and the transformer. I

Pertinent to the following objects of this invention, as fluorescent lighting necessitates the use of high voltage to operate same, the danger of electrocution, electric shock or. burn to persons installing, using or repairing same is always imminent even if the persons are expert and the danger is many times multiplied by the inexpert and the uninformed who use or attempt replacements and repairs on a high power system with the danger potential at its highest when a lamp is removed from a live socket and that socket is left exposed.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a switch or a series of switches in the primary leads between the power source and the transformer which are operable by inserting or removing the lamp in or from the socket of the lamp holder with the switch being placed in the on position when the lamp is inserted in the holders and inthe off position when the lamp is removed from the holders. This action powers the socket when the lamp is i the holder and cuts off power when the lamp is not in the holder thereby leaving the socket without power while in an exposed condition.

-Another object is to supply a switch in the primary or low voltage leads of a high voltage lamp holder operable by inserting the item in or removing the item from the high voltage holder as a switch in the low voltage leads of a high voltage holder is not subject to the danger of flashing and arcing that a switch in the high voltage leads would be subject to in turning on or off the high voltage.

A further object is to provide a universally adaptable lamp electrode receiver which will receive the various types oflamps with their various types of electrodes the purpose of which is to allow the holder to receive and operate any zoo-51.09)

y 2 make of lamp of the cold cathode or single electrode type.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and the attached drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the lam holders in the invention, showing the primary and secondary wiring diagram;

- Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of one of the lamp holders in the invention showing the switch disposed therein and the electrode receiver cup; and

Fig. 3 is a like view to Fig. 2 of the mating lamp holder showing the electrode receiver cup therein.

Again referring to Fig. 1, and now describing the secondary wiring from the transformer II to the lamp holders, 750 volt leads l6 and I! are connected in line to the lamp holders l5 and l'l'r-Q-A while] 750 volt common lead 19 is connected in series to mating lamp holders 20 and Ell-A with the lamp 2i disposed in the secondary wiring by placing same in the holders l5 and 20 relative to the opposite ends of the lamp 2|.

It can now be seen that the switch id in the holder [5 in which the. lamp 2! is inserted, is in" the closed or on position as diagrammatically'shown, while the switch l4-A in the holder l5-A in which there isno lamp 2| inserted, is

in the open or foff position with the result that the transformer ii is still disconnected from power leaving the exposed sockets lsand l5-'-A unpowered or dead. By inserting another lamp '2! between the exposed socket l5-A and mating socket 20--A, the open switch l4--A Pertinent to the structure of the lamp holders l5 and 20' and taking up the parts of each that are common to both, cylindrical body portion 22, Figs. 2 and 3, has slots 23 formed therein and extending longitudinally thereoflflange 24 nousing apertures 25 formed integrally therewith, and bottom part 26 also formed integrally theredisposed ends of the bus-bars 30. Insulatingwasher 32 adjoins the bus-bars 3D Withspring33 disposed between the washer 32 and plunger 34 which carries plunger rod 35 and adjoins universally adaptable lamp electrodecup Ishaped receiver 38 which, in turn, adjoins stop collar 31 which is secured to the body portion 22 by collar fastening screws 38 which are or" the self-tapping type and which prevent the stop collar from be ing forced out of the body portion 22 by the spring 33. The lead it or I? isiconnected to the receiver 36 by pig-tail type connection 39 and the receiver 33 in conjunction with thecollar 37 form a receiving socket for one end of a lamp 2|.

Referring now to the parts particular to the lamp holder 20, bus-bar 40 is in like position to bus-bars 30 and carries like terminal screws 3| while brass spring 4|, more strongly constructed than the spring 33, contacts the bus-bar 46 and extends to and contacts cup receiver 42 equipped with flange 43 with the cup receiver 42 abutting stop collar 44 which is secured by screws 38 the same'as the stop collar 3? and the receiver 42 and thecoilar 44 form a receiving socket for the other end of a lamp 2|.

Concerning the materials used in the fabricating of the various parts, the body portion 22fis made of non-electrical conducting material as well as the stop collars 3! and 44, the washer 32 and the plunger 34 while the bus-bars 30 and 40, the spring 4| and the cup receivers 36 and 42 are constructed of electrical conducting material.

Considering the lamp holders I5 and |5-A and 20 and 2|J-A, in relative positions as shown in Fig. l, and pertinent to the wiring connections, lead i2 'is broken and connected in series to the transformer byvrunning the lead |2 through the switches l4 and |4A by attaching the lead |2 to the bus-bars 30 via the terminal screws 3| and the leads I B and I! are connected by the pigtail connection 39 to the cup receivers 36 with the neutral lead l connected directly to the transformer H and the neutral lead I9 connected in series to the lamp holders 20 and ZD-A via the terminal screws on the bus-bars 40 which lead through the spring 4| to the cup receivers 42. It'is now seen that the cup receivers 36 and 42 are at end positions relative .to the positive and neutral leads H3 or and I9 and that the secondary circuit can now be closed by inserting a lamp 2! in the holders I and 24 which "insertion is accomplished by putting one end ora lamp 2! into a holder 2|! internally of the collar 44 and by forcing back thespringll via cup receiver 43 so that the other end of thelamp 2| can be inserted into the holder |5internally of the collar 31 which action'is allowed by the long travel of the spring 4|, the lamp 2| is forced into the holder l5 bysame as the spring4| overcomes the spring 33 via the lamp 2|,-the cup receiver 36 and the plunger 34.

This action forces the plunger 34 to the left as seen in the drawings carrying the plunger-rod 35 into contact with the bus-bars 351 and closingthe gap 45 between them which puts the switch |4 in the closed position. By inserting another lamp 2| in the holders 5-A and 20-A, the same action takes place and both switches I4 and |4-A in the lead |2 are then closed which allows power to be transmitted to the transformer l which feeds back the stepped up power via the secondary circuit and powers the lamps 2|. Q I

Conversely, by-removinga lamp "2| "from the fixture, the primary circuit is interrupted as a switch l4 opens due to the spring 33 forcing the plunger 34 to the right as seen in the figures which carries the plunger rod out of contact with the bus-bars 30 and opens the gap 45 between them'thereby interrupting the circuit l2, cutting o'if'power to-the transformer II, and leaving the exposed sockets l5 and 20 without power or dead so that a live socket is not left exposed which eliminates th greatest potentiality of anyone being injured or killed by the high electrical power used in the apparatus.

Relative to the receivers .36 and 42 which are identical except for the flange 43 on the receiver 42; apertures =46.ar formed in each receiver adaptable to :receive along type lamp electrode, curved or cupped portion 4'! on each receiver are adaptable to receivea button type lamp electrode, while the fiat portions on each receiver "are adapted to contact the rim type lamp electrode which enables the receivers 36 and 42 to be universally adaptable to receive and icontactthe variouswtype of electrodes on the lamps of different manufacturers.

The lamps 2| and :holders l5 and 20 can .be disposed singly or-in .pairs orsets of more than two and can be arranged in batteries --of multiple-sets and .thesets may or may not be ballasted; which is, to say, synchronized to eliminate the stroboscopic-effect of the lamp pulsations.

Various adaptations, substitutions, additions and-omissions can be made relative to the invention herein described without departing from the spirit thereofas the invention is limited only by 1the-SCOpe 0f the appended claims.

Irclaimz 1.:In "combination with a tubular lamp having an endwise projecting conductor pin, a lighting tube socket including a tubular body portion, spaced bus-bars at one end of said body portion, a :reciprocating aplunger,.in said body portion, a .plunger rod carried .by said plungerfor bridging said bus-bars when positioned at one endsof said-bodyportion', a spring normally urging said plunger rod from engagement with said bus bars, a pup-shaped vapertured receiver.

in'the end of said body portion opposite-to the bus-bar en'd and being :reciprocative in the body portion withsa'idplunger, .said receiver adaptedconductor-pin of the tubular lamp; spaced busbars at the opposite end of said bodyportion, a reciprocating plungerin said body portion *be- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Hammer Mar. 15, 1938 Hendry Oct. 30, 1928 Thomas Dec. 23, 1930 Coy Apr. 21, 1936 De Reamer June 4, 1946 Mills et a1. Dec. 17, 1946 Haven July 27, 1948 Ruesch Aug. 17, 1948 

